


Beneath your Banner

by sanssouci



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: 19th Century, Angst, Congress of Vienna, Drama, Family, Gen, Historical Hetalia, Occasional foul language, basically a retelling of the last 200 years of German history
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-15
Updated: 2018-10-08
Packaged: 2019-07-12 19:33:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16001837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanssouci/pseuds/sanssouci
Summary: When Prussia encounters a small blonde boy, little does he know that this encounter will change his life and history. Through war and pain, Prussia helps his younger brother become the nation he was born to be. But they soon themselves engulfed in a struggle for power and ideological forces aiming to transform the European continent. Bound by fate and blood, Prussia and Germany have to face war, separation and history's judgement.This is a (mostly) historical retelling of the last 200 years of German history. The list of characters and tags will expand as the story progresses.





	1. Chapter 1

**Prologue – 1806, Vienna**

Raindrops trickled down the window of the coach, veiling the passing landscapes with water. It was shortly after dusk and the sky was dark blue, the colour of Prussia’s uniform. But the silver-haired man riding alone in the coach paid no attention to the outside world. He stared at the wooden wall in front of him, yet his thoughts were beyond the horizon. In his fist, he clenched a letter, the content of which he meanwhile knew by heart. He had read it over and over again to make sure he had understood the message properly. But he could not know yet it’s implications. He may have lived for centuries, but the future eluded even him. But it promised to be most interesting if not terrifying.

The Holy Roman Empire was no more. France, his twin under Charlemagne, had ordered his dissolution. Cynics may have said that Holy Roman Empire had not been for a long time; he was not holy, he was not Roman, he was hardly even an empire. Prussia or any of his siblings had not cared for a long time about the Holy Roman Empire’s command. It was mostly Austria’s and his Habsburgs’ concern. But when he was gone, it mattered to all the German states. It mattered to Europe.

The carriage pulled into the grand courtyard of Schönbrunn. Servants were busy running around and whispering to each other. Even if they did not know who lived among them, they certainly felt that something was in the air. The palace was in mourning for a person, whose name they did not know. Prussia stepped out of the carriage and wrapped his coat closer around his chest. The rain intensified and it was well past ten in the evening. Although it was still August, the air was icy.

‘Hand to horses over to the servants and get some rest, Heinrich,’ Prussia ordered his coachman.

The clapping sound of hooves had not yet faded away, as a visibly weary man exited the palace door.

‘You’re late.’ These were Austria’s greeting words.

‘Well, excuse me. I don’t live exactly around the corner,’ Prussia replied. ‘First, your letter had to be delivered to me and then I had to take a coach all the way to Vienna. Please excuse me that I didn’t learn to fly yet.’

Austria was silent for a moment and Prussia savoured every second of it. It was schadenfreude whenever he could embarrass Austria. But then he had a closer look at his cousin. Austria wore a shirt buttoned up the wrong way, pants he had to hold with his hands as if he had forgotten to put on a belt and a tattered dressing gown. How could a man so self-conscious allow himself to exit his bedroom dressed like this? No wonder the servants were gossiping.

Prussia figured it was better to get to the point rather than bicker. ‘How is he?’

Austria looked around. The servants worked busily, though likely they had their ears sharpened to figure out what had upset their master so much.

‘Come inside,’ Austria ordered.

Prussia followed him into the palace and through the lavishly decorated hallways. Suddenly Austria stopped in front of one of the chambers.

‘What? Is he here?’ Prussia asked.

Again, Austria hesitated to say anything about the small boy who dreamt of being the successor to the Roman Empire. Then without a word, he pressed down the door handle and entered the room. Prussia followed. There was no light except two candles on the tables on each side of the four-poster bed from which little fat angels made from wood were looking down. An unfinished meal and several used tea cups were left on the writing desk. A slim figure was kneeling next to the bed and looked up as the door opened.

‘So, you came after all,’ Hungary said. ‘Your siblings all managed to come earlier.’

‘Apologies, Milady,’ Prussia replied mockingly. ‘I did not know you would take my late arrival personally.’

‘You are joking? At this time?’ Hungary huffed.

‘For once, I did not come here to look for a fight. Better tell me about the condition of the Holy Roman Empire.’

Hungary shot a glance at Austria. ‘You did not tell him?’

‘Tell me what, Austria?’ Prussia looked now over to his cousin again.

Austria sighed and finally stopped beating around the bush. ‘The Holy Roman Empire died about two hours ago. If you had been faster, you might have been able to say a last goodbye.’

Died? This word should not apply to beings like them. To die in physical terms was a concept almost incomprehensible to them. In fact, Prussia was not sure when he saw actually a body of their kind. The last one might have been Germania’s so many centuries ago.

‘Do you want to pray for him?’ Hungary asked, as she moved away from the bed.

Without a word, Prussia stepped closer and pulled curtains of the bed back. Eyes closed, hands folded over his chest the boy looked like an angel without wings. His facial expression was calm, almost serene. Prussia wondered whether the Holy Roman Empire wanted to end. Despite his age, his body was still the one of a 12-year old. He had aimed to high, but his physical age had brought him much embarrassment. Prussia had heard that Britain’s former protégé in the New World – less than 50 years old – already looked like a grown man. But the Holy Roman Empire could never really develop, perhaps because he ironically stood in the shadows of his subordinate states.

‘How did it happen?’ Prussia asked.

‘Ever since the dissolution was officially put down on paper, he felt unwell. Over time, it just got worse and there was no sign that he would recover again. This morning he woke up with a burning fever. He was in great pain,’ Austria shook his head and Prussia could have sworn that tears started welling up in his eyes. ‘I called upon every doctor in Vienna to save his life, but none could help him. I tried everything.’

‘I know you did,’ Prussia replied as an objective statement rather than a comforting reassurance. Silence fell between them.

‘What are you thinking about, Prussia?’ Austria finally asked.

‘Death and how it may catch up with even us.’ Prussia’s answer was honest. ‘I pity Holy Rome. He just wanted to taste the glory of the old times, but ultimately was condemned to die as a child. Will we be better off, when our time comes?’

‘You don’t miss any opportunity to be morbid, do you?’ Hungary sounded disgusted.

‘I was just telling you my thoughts, as your lover boy wanted to know.’

Austria ignored the provocation and asked, ‘Will you at least attend the funeral?’

‘Certainly,’ Prussia replied. ‘He was a brother of mine. Will the ceremony be in catholic tradition?’

‘Of course, because guess who is paying for it,’ Austria replied annoyed.

‘Don’t talk about money, Dearest. Not during this time.’ Hungary interjected, “One of ours has passed away.’

‘I know. I am sorry. The last few days have drained my energy,’ Austria left his shoulders hanging and Prussia could take no joy this time in seeing his favourite rival defeated.

Hungary then turned to Prussia. ‘Do you want to stay here, or shall I call a servant to find you a guesthouse in the city until the funeral starts?’

‘I am not sure Austria would be too happy about this, wouldn’t you?’ Prussia looked over to his cousin.

‘The palace is large enough that we can avoid each other. Just behave and don’t teach the emperor’s children any swear words,’ Austria sighed.

Prussia nodded in accordance. As much as they fought, in this moment they could not be alone. They were after all a family that had suffered a tragedy.


	2. Chapter 2

**1815, Vienna**

 

 _Enough politics for today_ , Prussia thought, as he left the meeting room. He was not a negotiator, nor did he aspire to be one. He certainly understood the merits of diplomacy, but it had never been his personal forte. To show his natural gifts he required blades, gunpowder and maps. But after all those years of bloodshed caused by France and his megalomaniac emperor, as he dared to call himself, Europe needed a break from war. Whether the continent would have this luxury remained to be seen.

 

Ever since France allowed his people to revolt, turmoil reigned. There was no more respect for the monarchies and their divine right to rule. And France was complete hooked on the preposterous idea that one should have common imbeciles determine the fate of a state. Prussia had known France for some time. He even would occasionally consider themselves friends or at least close acquaintances that would sometimes raid Italy’s wine cellar, although France would still insist that his booze was better. But these quirks of ‘nationalism’ and _droits de l’homme_ came as a surprise. When England’s brat on the other side on the Atlantic started acting up, it was understandable, because the kid didn’t know any better. But France on his horse suddenly turning against his own king and siding with commoners? Truly the world had been turned upside down. To fix it, they had all come together to Vienna.

 

But the negotiations did not give Prussia much hope. They had been talking for months and everyone seems to grow increasingly frustrated. Rumour had it that one of the Grand Dukes meanwhile preferred to organise orgies rather than getting any actual work done. To Prussia it seemed though as the humans were having more fun than they did. Rather than enjoying any pleasures, he spent his days locked into meeting rooms with France, Austria, England and – most unnervingly – Russia, who despite trying to act cooperatively, had extended his reach disturbingly far into Europe. Most of the time, they exchanged jabs at each other, conspired behind the scenes and waited for updates from their bosses. Thank God somebody cracked open a wine barrel from time to time.

 

Today, nobody had suggested to have a common dinner. Prussia was relieved he did not have to make up a diplomatically acceptable excuse for why he could not attend. He did not think that he could survive any more strenuous conversations today. Prussia felt the need to be on his own for a while and not be forced to chat.

 

Prussia left the Ballhausplatz and headed towards a modest guesthouse that served usually guests of lower classes than himself, but they had decent food and excellent beer. He had discovered the place some years ago, while fleeing Hungary’s wrath. He didn’t even remember what she had been upset about, but he probably deserved it. A middle-aged woman was serving him beer and promised a hearty meal. He had never seen her before, which was a relief. He knew that humans might become irritated if they see a customer not age over the course of years. And Prussia was knew that his pale skin, silver hair and piercing red eyes were hard to forget.

 

When the food arrived, Prussia had a hard time enjoying it. His mind was warped around the congress. He knew that his bosses would take care of most things, but the nations still held their own councils. He still could hear Austria’s soft spoken but still constantly annoyed sounding voice. He still saw Russia’s innocent smile hiding his unfathomable intentions. And he could still feel the strange radiance surrounding France he possessed since 1789. This stuffy guesthouse did not really work out for Prussia today, so he picked up his plate and beer and snuck into the backyard. There he sat down on the stairs and picked up the food with his fingers. Suddenly he felt liberated. He was a soldier at heart and the open sky above him could not scare him, but rather promised adventure and glory.

 

Suddenly Prussia heard the bang of wooden boxes falling to the floor. His body became tense. He knew that he had little to fear as hardly anyone could know he was here, and bandits rarely chose to attack in closed-off backyards. And even if there was enemy, Prussia could rely on centuries of combat experience.

 

 _It’s probably just a stray dog_ , Prussia thought.

 

In that moment, several wooden planks crashed to the floor. Prussia’s fingers clenched the grip of his sword tighter. He scanned his environment carefully. He thought he could hear steps, but the intruder didn’t wear boots and his feet must be tiny.

 

‘Zeig dich!’, Prussia demanded as he rose to his feet. The yard fell quiet.

 

For a few heartbeats, nothing happened. Then Prussia spotted strands of blonde hair behind one of the boxes. If their owner fit behind the box, then he must be tiny.

 

‘I will not harm you’, Prussia promised to the intruder and took his hands of the sword. ‘I just demand that you show yourself’.

 

Slowly, almost like an injured animal, a young boy appeared from the shadows. He could not be older than two years and was definitely too young to be left without adult attention. His small body was wrapped in dirty linen. His walk was unsteady, but his eyes shining blue as the sky.

 

Prussia was stunned. He did not know how to handle children. For once he wished Spain was here. The Iberian was much better at handling these situations, because after all he had raised Romano and no child could be more obnoxious that this Italian diva.

 

The boy stared back Prussia and made no further move. Prussia sighed. He was not a great friend to children, but he could not leave this child here. He would ask one of his servants to find the parents of the boy but considering that the child did not wear proper clothes, he had probably been abandoned. Humans could be cruel.

 

Prussia picked up the plate next to him and offered it to the boy. ‘Here, take some.’

 

For a second, the child hesitated, but then his hunger was stronger. He made a few steps forward and his short fingers reached for the potatoes. He ate quietly and purely focused on the food, completely ignoring the one who offered him his meal. Prussia however carefully observed the boy and could not stop wondering why a seemingly healthy child was abandoned in the backyard of a guesthouse.

 

The boy grabbed another potato. Prussia sat down to cut the meat into smaller pieces so the child could fit them into his mouth. The more the boy ate, the faster he shovelled food into his mouth and spilled sauce all over his sorry excuse for clothes. It was impressive how much fit into this little stomach. Soon the kid had cleaned the plate.

 

‘What’s your name?’ Prussia finally asked.

 

The boy looked up, his eyes meeting Prussia’s, but did not reply.

 

‘You don’t know? Do you know where you are from?’

 

Again, the boy remained silent.

 

‘Who are your parents?’

 

The child just stared at him as if he did not understand the question.

 

Prussia was getting a bit irritated. ‘Can you speak? You did understand me before.’

 

His voice must have sounded a bit harsher, as tears started welling up in the blue eyes. Prussia shook his head. ‘Please don’t cry! I didn’t mean to startle you. Just please don’t cry…’ What would he do with a crying child?

 

Austria would probably know, since he babysat Veneziano and the Holy Roman Empire for quite a while. Prussia hated relying on the prissy aristocrat, but he might indeed have idea how to find the child a place to stay.

 

‘Come on, little one’, Prussia said. ‘I’m taking you to meet an old acquaintance of mine’.

 

The boy offered no protest, as Prussia lifted him off his feet and carried him out of the yard. How fragile the boy was! In Prussia’s arms, he felt as light as a feather and his bones were as thin as a bird’s. The boy clenched to Prussia’s jacket to keep his balance. For a moment, Prussia was oddly touched by the gesture of a small child looking for security.

 

Prussia ordered a chariot to take him to Schönbrunn, hoping that Austria would be home rather than spending his night in the city, courting Hungary. The palace guards seemed surprised to see him. Austria had generously offered Prussia to stay in his quarters of the palace, but Prussia kindly refused. He knew he would see Austria all day at the congress and having to sleep under the same roof would only render negotiations more difficult.

 

‘My lord, we did not expect to see you here’, said one of the guards, who seemed to recognise him from his last visit nine years ago. ‘We assumed you stayed in the city’

 

‘Usually that is the case, but I need to talk to Austria.’

 

‘His Excellency might have already laid himself to rest.’

 

‘Just tell him that Prussia requires a favour.’ Austria would not be able to resist the prospect of having his cousin in his debt.

 

The guard seemed hesitant at first, but then realised that one does not resist a Prussian’s demands. He ordered another guard to fetch Austria. As he turned back towards Prussia, he noticed the child, who meanwhile crawled into his jacket to flee to cold of the night.

 

‘Whose child is this? Is the boy a relative of yours?’ the guard asked.

 

‘About the former, I’m here to find that out. About the latter, unlikely.’

 

Just Prussia said this, the young boy stirred and pressed his head closer to Prussia’s chest. A strange sensation overcame him. Never before had he felt like this about another being. This child was so small and alone, Prussia could not help but feeling protective.

 

When the guard came back, he informed them that Austria would receive them in the palace. When they entered the room, Austria was playing the piano. Clearly, he did not want to give the impression that Prussia was capable of interrupting his daily routine.

 

‘What brings you back here?’ Austria asked without looking up from his note sheets.

 

‘I need your expertise in childcare,’ Prussia replied.

 

‘And for what odd reason might that be?’

 

‘If would stop staring at that piano and actually face me, you would now.’

 

For a second it seemed as if Austria was contemplating a salty response to that, but he then turned around. As soon as he spotted the child in Prussia’s arms, he raised an eyebrow.

 

‘Seriously, how inconsiderate are? Did you not think of giving that shivering child any clothes?’

 

‘Well, it’s unfortunate that the kid would drown in my jacket. And he already ate most of my dinner,’ Prussia snapped back.

 

Austria ignored the outburst and rang a bell. Immediately a powdered wig with a men’s head attached to it appeared.

 

‘Bring some clothes appropriate for this child and bring some food,’ Austria ordered.

 

‘Make that a dinner for a hungry soldier,’ Prussia interjected.

 

Austria stood up from the piano to have a closer look at the child.

 

‘Who entrusted you with a child?’ Austria asked.

 

‘I found him in the backyard of a guesthouse, scavenging for food,’ Prussia replied. ‘It seems that nobody took care of him in a while. He probably wrapped himself in these cloths in order to not freeze to death. But clearly he understood me when I talked to him in German.’

 

‘Or maybe he’s a child who understands your gestures,’ Austria said.

 

‘In any case, it seems that nobody has been taking care of this boy and I couldn’t leave him to live like a stray dog.’

 

‘How odd, Prussia. For a moment there, it was almost as if you were human.’

 

‘I am not human,’ Prussia replied calmly.

 

‘I know,’ Austria said. ‘You’re an army. But one that is showing a surprising amount of empathy for a child at the moment.’

 

‘Honestly, I stopped caring what you think of me a few centuries ago’, Prussia quipped. ‘But I need your help about what to do with this child. How can we think his parents?’

 

‘Do you think they want him back?’ There was a hint of pity in Austria’s voice. ‘If truly nobody has been looking after this child, I don’t think he has any family to rely on.’

 

Deep down, Prussia knew this to be the truth. For nations, it was normal to grow up without their parents. They constructed their own families. And frequently lost them before becoming adults. Prussia had seen Germania die. But trapped in the body and mind of a child, he was unable to stop his grandsire’s death.

 

‘So, what do we do then?’

 

In this moment, the young boy looked up and his bright blue eyes met Prussia’s. The man shuddered. He had obviously been around children before, not that he actively sought their presence, but there was something about this boy that captivated him.

 

‘He’ll stay here for the night,’ Austria decided. ‘And I offer you lodging once again, if you don’t feel like going back to your place’.

 

‘Thanks, I take the offer.’

 

In that moment, two servants appeared: one carrying a tiny nightgown and another a platter with a variety of meat, potatoes and bread. For dessert, they brought some of Austria’s notoriously delicious cakes. Prussia was delighted. While he began his quest to empty the entire platter, Austria freed the boy from the dirty cloths and pulled the nightgown over his head.

 

‘You are a lot more well-behaved than Italy… or the Holy Roman Empire for that matter,’ Austria lauded the boy, who made no attempt to struggle or scream. Austria sat the boy on his lap and let him play with the buttons of his jacket.

 

‘I’ll send a servant to prepare your room, Prussia.’

 

Prussia only nodded, as there was a potato in his mouth. He swallowed and asked, ‘Where will the boy sleep?’

 

‘In the old room of the Holy Roman Empire,’ Austria replied nonchalantly.

 

‘He died in there!’ Prussia protested.

 

‘And?’, Austria replied. ‘He died because of France, not the room. And I’m surprised to see that worked up about this.’

 

‘It’s just…’ Prussia could not find words for the discomfort he felt. He knew that Austria was right. There was nothing to fear about this room, yet Prussia did not want the child to sleep there.

 

‘Are you superstitious?’ Austria looked surprised. ‘It’s not like you. You know there is no dark magic that contradicts the power of God.’

 

Prussia shook his head. ‘You are right… God, it pains me to say these words. There is no reason, why the child should not sleep in that room’

 

Both looked to the young boy, who started to play with the rings of Austria’s fingers.

 

‘Well then,’ Austria said. ‘Time for bed.’

 

Closely followed by Prussia, Austria carried the boy to the bedroom of late Holy Roman Empire, the boy who never could live up to his name. Upon entering the room, Prussia noticed how hardly anything had changed expect for the bed linen. Maybe it was an expression of Austria’s grief. Nine years and he did not manage to let go. But again, what were nine years for someone who remembered the last millennium?

 

Austria tucked the boy in and briefly stroked his forehead to comfort him, so he would spend his night screaming. Then he said to Prussia.

 

‘I’ll be heading to my chambers. Make sure to extinguish the candles before you leave.’

 

Prussia simply nodded. Austria passed him and quietly closed the door.

 

Now it was just the two of them again. The young boy looked expectantly at him.

 

‘Sorry, little one. I don’t have any more food with me’, Prussia said. The boy seemed not concerned with that.

 

After an awkwardly long time, Prussia approached the child’s bedside. Suddenly, a smile appeared on the child’s face. Prussia was perplexed and charmed at the same time. He reached out and pinched the boy’s cheeks. The child giggled and grabbed one of Prussia’s fingers, which where callused from constant work and training. But the boy did not mind and his soft fingers rubbed against Prussia’s hardened skin. Prussia could not help but smile at the child’s innocence.

 

‘Sleep well, little one,’ Prussia whispered and patted the boy on the head. The child closed his eyes. Prussia wondered when he himself last knew peace like this. He blew out the candles, slowly left the room, and closed the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, Hetalia and nationalism is quite headscratcher. I am somewhat reluctant to call the characters already nations, as one priority of the Congress of Vienna was to limit the influence of nationalism. However, the ideology increasingly gained traction in the 19th century.
> 
> And yes, apparently the Grand Duke of Baden indeed hosted orgies during the congress.
> 
> When Austria calls Prussia an army, he refers to Mirabeau's famous statement: "Prussia, is not a state with an army, but an army with a state."
> 
> \------------
> 
> Ballhausplatz = place where the Congress of Vienna took place
> 
> 'Zeig dich!' German 'Show yourself!'


	3. Chapter 3

Vienna, 1815

 

When Prussia opened the door of the boy’s bedroom the next day, the blood froze in his veins.

 

‘AUSTRIA!’, he yelled, startling a couple of servants in the corridor. ‘Get your ass over here right now.’

 

By coincidence, the aristocrat just turned around the corner. He was less than thrilled about Prussia’s vulgarities, but hid his annoyance behind a stone-faced expression. ‘Please do not make me regret having you as my guest,’ Austria said, trying to keep his voice calm and tactful.

 

‘You will always regret having me around,’ Prussia snapped at Austria. ‘But more importantly, what do you make of this?’ He gestured towards the bed were the boy sat, rubbing his eyes. Austria’s eyes widened.

 

Over night, the toddler that Prussia found yesterday had aged into a about three-year old boy. The blonde child looked at the two men at the door and waved. Prussia would have returned the gesture had not been too stunned to react. Austria came quicker back to his senses and turned to Prussia. ‘Are you thinking what I’m thinking?’

 

It was a rhetorical question. Of course, Prussia was thinking that there was no way in the world that this kid was human. And if he was not human, then he could be only one of them. A country, a people, a culture, an identity.

 

‘But who could it be?’ Prussia asked.

 

Austria shrugged. ‘There is no way to know for sure.’

 

‘ _Ähm, Guten Morgen_.’ These were the first words that Prussia heard from the boy’s mouth. So, he definitely spoke German, although he had no parents to teach him.

 

‘Good morning’, Austria replied friendly. ‘I hope you had a good night of sleep.’

 

The boy nodded. ‘I did. Thank you. It is very kind of you to host me.’

 

‘The pleasure is mine,’ Austria said. ‘We could not let a young boy like live in the backyard of a guesthouse.’

 

‘Backyard?’ The rubbed his head as if he tried to activate his memory.

 

‘You don’t remember?’ Prussia asked. ‘We met yesterday.’

 

The boy lowered his gaze as if he was embarrassed. ‘I do remember. I am sorry.’

 

‘That is alright,’ Austria quickly reassured him. ‘I am Austria. And this is Prussia.’ The latter would have liked to introduce himself personally, but there was no point in starting a fight over it.

 

The boy nodded but remained silent.

 

Austria put on a smile and asked, ‘And what it your name?’

 

As if the words hit him like a stern father’s hand, the boy turned his head away and lowered his gaze.

 

Prussia butted in, ‘Do you know who you are? What you are?’

 

The boy still refused to answer. Austria sighed, ‘Everybody is someone. You can’t go on without a name.’

 

Now the boy began shaking and tears appeared in his blue eyes, shimmering like liquid crystals. ‘Congrats, Mr Babysitter’, Prussia murmured to Austria. ‘Now you upset him.’

 

‘I was trying to help’, Austria hissed. ‘And you were not of much assistance.’

 

Prussia sighed and then approached the bed. The boy wiped away his tears with the linen, but still refused to look at either of the men. Prussia cautiously kneeled down next to the boy and quietly said, ‘You don’t need to be upset. You don’t need to know everything now. By God, I sometimes wonder what I really am. You still have time to figure it out. But to be someone, you need a name, don’t you? Are you sure you have none?’

 

The boy now looked up and directly stared in Prussia’s eyes. The elder could recognise fear, insecurity and anguish in the boy’s gaze. But there was something else there as well. Something fierce that Prussia could not quite identify.

 

‘Nobody gave me a name’, the boy finally muttered.

 

Prussia shook his head. ‘Well, that is unfortunate. Would you like me to give you a name?’

 

The kid looked surprised but then slowly nodded.

 

In his mind, Prussia tried to match several names to the boy’s round face. ‘Ludwig’, he said then. ‘Your name from now on is Ludwig.’

 

The boy’s eyes lit up. He seemed to like the sound of that name. Austria was less impressed.

 

‘Ludwig? Are you serious?’

 

‘Means “famous warrior”. Not bad, right? Also Beethoven’s name, so I thought you would like it.’

 

Austria sighed. ‘You’re already thinking about how this child will see war one day? Can’t you think of a less martial name?’

 

‘If he truly is one of ours, then it’s only a matter of time until he marches onto the battlefield,’ Prussia replied.

 

‘I do not enjoy arguing with people as cynical as you,’ Austria sighed. Despite being both descendants of Germania, they could not have been more different. Austria was no stranger to combat, but his passion were the beautiful arts, the court and above all music. Prussia on the other hand was born to be a soldier: disciplined, loyal and not fearing anyone but God. Indeed, sometimes it seemed as if Prussia truly came to life when charged into battle. Consequently, Prussia regarded Austria as a wimp.

 

‘I’m sorry. Not everybody had a Swiss friend to do all their dirty business for them’, hissed Prussia.

 

Austria raised an eyebrow. ‘I don’t know what you are talking about.’

 

‘You never do,’ Prussia sneered.

 

Austria’s lips became thinner, as he visibly struggled to hide his anger. The sight pleased Prussia.

 

The boy had remained silent, but he attentively observed the conversation. Likely he was too shy to speak up, but he looked relieved when Prussia asked whether he was ready for breakfast.

 

‘We’ll eat in my quarters,’ Austria immediately demanded and sent a servant to prepare the meal. ‘And please send for Miss Héderváry. I’d like her to join us.’

 

Prussia grabbed Austria by the sleeve and hissed into his hear. ‘Do you seriously think this is a good idea? We just discovered a new country. This potentially may shift the entire power balance in Europe, which we have been trying to restore. We should be careful about whom we reveal Ludwig to.’

 

Austria plucked Prussia’s fingers from his wrist and said, ‘For once, I agree with you. We must be careful not to reveal him too soon. But I would trust Hungary with my life. To me she’s my second half.’

 

Prussia rolled his eyes. ‘Please stop gushing over your girlfriend before I start vomiting.’

 

Austria shook his head. ‘If you ever cared about anybody in your life, you’d know what love feels like.’

 

‘Thanks. I’ll pass,’ Prussia snorted.

 

Austria sighed, but refrained from any further comment. Instead he focused his attention on Ludwig.

 

‘Well then, if we have breakfast, we need to get you dressed, young man.’

 

‘I have no clothes,’ Ludwig replied. Suddenly the child seemed to be on the verge of tears, as if he felt like a burden to his hosts.

 

‘That’s is no problem,’ Austria reassured him. ‘I ordered a servant to bring some clothes in your size. Would you like me to help you try them on?’

 

Ludwig’s face lit up and the boy nodded energetically. Prussia had to give Austria credit for his way with children. He was patient and welcoming. Too bad he was a spineless and self-righteous snob the rest of the time. Prussia distanced himself from the two and leaned against a window frame, while Austria helped Ludwig to put on stockings, stockings and a blouse. This might just be the first time Ludwig had worn proper clothing.

 

‘We are all set and done here’, Austria said as he closed the buckles of Ludwig’s new shoes and patted the blonde hair.

 

‘Thank you, Mister Austria,’ Ludwig said. For having no guardians or teachers, Ludwig was very well-mannered.

 

‘Just Austria is fine, Ludwig.’

 

‘I’m sorry.’

 

‘Don’t apologise.’ Austria smiled. ‘You did nothing wrong.’

 

‘Can we have breakfast now?’ Prussia inquired. He felt his stomach rumbling.

 

‘Look at that, Ludwig. The mighty Prussia can’t even wait to get his food.’

 

Ludwig giggled, and Prussia thought that he would get angry, but that was not the case. There was no malevolence in Ludwig’s laughter. On the contrary, it was strangely endearing. But Prussia kept cool. He had a reputation to keep up.

 

‘Let’s go then,’ Austria said. He pointed to a servant that had been waiting at the door. ‘Follow Johann there. He’ll take us to Breakfast.’

 

Ludwig nodded and walked towards the servant. He was no longer waddling like yesterday. His gait was more confident, even though he staggered a bit. After all, Ludwig was just a child.

 

Austria and Prussia walked behind Johann and Ludwig. Both felt that they needed to have conversation, but it took a few minutes before Prussia finally spoke. ‘So, who do you think Ludwig will be? He’s clearly in the early stages of his statehood, but he’s growing rapidly.’

 

Austria looked at Prussia and said, ‘Don’t you suspect it already? We have been talking for a while here in Vienna about a Federation for the German states. The boy speaks German without having taught by anyone and he appears in Vienna of all places.’

 

‘A unified state for all Germans,’ Prussia muttered. ‘I don’t know about this. We talked about a rather lose alliance. I can guarantee you that I will not submit myself to this kid or anyone.’

 

Austria shrugged. ‘This is the best explanation I can offer. For while, I had a feeling that the world is changing, despite our best efforts to stop it. New forces have emerged, especially France and America brought us these disastrous revolutions.’ This was oddly perceptive Austria and Prussia could not help but think that his cousin might be on to something.

 

‘But he’s still a kid and we do not know how the confederation will look like in the end. I’m telling you I will not play second fiddle to my family,’ Prussia said.

 

Austria ignored that short rant. Instead he leaned over to Prussia and whispered so Ludwig surely could not hear it, ‘Don’t you think that he slightly looks like the Holy Roman Empire?’

 

Prussia shuddered. So that is where this went. If Austria saw a successor of the Holy Roman Empire in Ludwig, he would surely use the child to increase his influence. And if Ludwig was more powerful than the Holy Roman Empire, Austria might succeed in becoming the leading power in the German sphere. What a heinous thought! Prussia’s old man Fritz would be turning in his grave.

 

‘Absolutely not!’ Prussia replied firmly. ‘There is nothing unusual about a blonde child. Anyways, his eyes are of much lighter blue.’

 

In that moment, Ludwig turned around and his piercing eyes directly met Prussia’s. For a moment, Prussia forgot to breathe. He had seen this gaze before. A memory resurfaced.

 

He was at the Battle of Jena. His forces were being crushed by the Grande Armée. The men laid crying on the floor as their uniforms were soaked in blood. Prussia was knocked off his horse when a bullet lodged into his hip. He limped across the battlefield to find shelter, when he saw Napoléon’s mad henchman dash towards. Wearing his new blue-white-red tricolore as a sash, France charged at him with wielding his sword. But it was not blind insanity that drove the revolutionary. In his eyes burned the belief in his own invincibility and for a moment there, Prussia was convinced as well.

 

But what had a young state in common with a warmongering France? How could this child have such fire inside?

 

Austria was right. The world was changing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I just wanted to have some cute little Ludwig 8D And yes, Ludwig apparently does mean 'famous warrior'. Thank you, Google!
> 
> I have a headcanon that nations receive strength from people's belief in them. Therefore nationalism, which as an ideology emerges in the late 18th/ early 19th century should strengthen. This made France so powerful during the revolutionary wars. For example, the French revolutionary government practiced conscription which made its forces larger than the professional armies employed by European monarchies.
> 
> The Congress of Vienna was conducted suppress nationalism, liberalism and demands for popular rule. Neither Prussia nor Austria seemed to have too much interest in their people replacing monarchs as the sovereign. The German federation was therefore not designed to become a nation state, but rather a lose collection of states. So Ludwig will have to be patient until he becomes a proper nation.


	4. Chapter 4

**Vienna 1815**

 

Hungary was delighted to meet Ludwig. She did not question his origins, but immediately started doting on the boy. In fact, Prussia was stunned by how easily she accepted that there was one more of their kind. Perhaps Ludwig reminded her also of the Holy Roman Empire, the boy whose death she witnessed years ago.

 

Introducing the child however to the other German states would be a greater challenge. Prussia and Austria had smuggled Ludwig through the backdoor into a private meeting venue and sent out messengers to discretely invite their family to join them after the daily talks had concluded. Who was invited also had to promise to keep this meeting secret from anyone else to avoid the curiosity of other countries and diplomats.

 

The room hardly fit all of them and only about half attendants sat on the table. Many of the guests were already grumpy from having the stand in addition that they were called for more strenuous negotiations. Yet inquisitive whispers filled the room why two nemesis would suddenly want to host a meeting with their relatives with whom they shared complex relationships to say the least. Austria and Prussia sat next to each other as if they were a royal couple. Prussia found this slightly awkward, but Austria made no indication that it bothered him. Instead he started noting down the names of the attendees. Ludwig was sitting on Prussia’s lap and played with the buttons on the sleeves of Prussia’s uniform. The shiny pieces of metal were placed right in front of him as Prussia held Ludwig’s chest to prevent the child from falling. Ludwig was too distracted to notice that a whole room was staring at him.

 

Austria finally rose to his feet and greeted the guests. ‘Thank you for coming, despite the late hour. I’m glad you all could make it. You may wonder why Prussia and I have called for another meeting while the future of this continent is still being decided.’

 

‘Indeed’, Saxony butted in. ‘I think everyone in this room would appreciate if the two you would explain to us what this is about and why you are trying to keep this meeting a secret from our allies. I think we all noticed that only the descendants of Germania are present.’

 

‘As you wish,’ Prussia replied. Austria had clearly planned to deliver the news himself but saw no use in protesting. Instead he pointedly adjusted his glasses.

 

‘As Saxony has so keenly observed, this is indeed a family matter,’ Prussia said. Bavaria could not refrain from snorting at the word ‘family’. Prussia looked him straight in the eye. ‘Yes, Bavaria, that is what we are, a family. Trust me, it is not always easy to admit that. But we are bound by fate, as our sire is Germania. Nine years ago, we have lost a brother. Regardless of how each of you felt about the Holy Roman Empire, we were all part of him and he was part of us. He may not have been the strongest empire around, but he still united us and gave us a common purpose. But France callously destroyed Holy Roman Empire in his ambition to conquer Europe and overthrow our kings who rule by the grace of God. Ever since we have struggled to find our way. As you are aware, there have been talks about forming a confederation for German states. The goal is to restore order and purge poisonous revolutionary ideas that aim to overthrow our kings. I am very well aware that many in this room including myself wish to maintain their autonomy and that such a new confederation must respect this. But there has been an important development.’

 

As Prussia said this sentence, he picked up Ludwig with both his hands and made the boy stand on his lap. Ludwig staggered a bit and grabbed the elder’s epaulette to maintain balance. Prussia continued. ‘Yesterday I met this boy. At the time we met, he looked barely one year old. And see how he has grown over night! Therefore, I and Austria have no doubt that this child is not human. He is one of us.’

 

The room was silent. It took a few seconds for everyone to process what Prussia just announced. Then turmoil ensued and the argued gesticulating with each other and Prussia. The latter just mentally faded out until Austria managed to establish silence through uncharacteristically loud shouting. Ludwig was startled by the commotion caused by his appearance and his hand clutched Prussia’s uniform harder. Prussia instinctively started patting the boy’s head to soothe the child.

 

‘Let’s have a civilised discussion, shall we?’ Austria huffed and adjusted his glasses with one finger, the way he always did when he wanted to assure his dominance. ‘If you have questions and comments, please so one after the other. I see Bavaria had something to say.’

 

Prussia rolled his eyes at Austria’s favouritism.

 

Bavaria immediately came to the point. ‘Is this boy the incarnation of the confederation that we discussed previously?’

 

Austria and Prussia exchanged a look. There was no way to say this for sure who the child really was. Prussia still replied, ‘We cannot answer this question. The boy does not know himself who he is. As he is one of ours, his fate will ultimately be decided by humans. In answer to your question, it is a possibility but no certainty’

 

Without waiting for anyone else to be called upon, Bavaria already asked the next question. ‘If the boy is the confederation which is about to be established, does that mean that this boy will have significant power over us?’

 

‘Nobody said anything about that. The confederation is of course not meant to undermine any of you but to help us assist each other in defending ourselves against any enemies,’ Prussia snapped at him. Ludwig flinched. He understood that his presence stirred unrest and perhaps not all in this room welcomed his existence. Prussia pulled him closer and whispered into his ear. ‘Don’t fear, Ludwig. You are but a young one. You’re not to blame for anything that happens today.’

 

The young boy looked up to Prussia and then buried his face in the nation’s shoulder. Prussia noticed Austria’s side glance. They both knew that the child did not choose to be born. No country did. They existed because mankind created them in their minds and acted upon their perceived existence. Yet it was only natural, that the boy’s sudden appearance unnerved everyone in the room. It meant that humans were imagining a new thing.

 

‘You talk about the boy as if you are sure he is said confederation,’ Saxony noted.

 

‘As previously said, it is a possibility. The boy appears at this hour and he understands German,’ Prussia justified himself.

 

‘He does? He should prove it,’ Hesse now demanded. Liechtenstein, one of the few people in this room known to have a notion of decency, scolded him. ‘He is but a child and he is clearly intimidated by all of your fighting. Just spare him for the moment.’

 

‘Thank you, my dear neighbour,’ Austria said. ‘I myself have heard the boy speak our language. We cannot exclude the possibility that this child belongs somehow to our family, even if we don’t know which role he will fulfil.’

 

Now Baden called in her right to speak. ‘What if the boy is more than a confederation?’

 

A heavy, suffocating silence laid itself upon the room. After a few long seconds Austria finally asked, ‘Can you elaborate on that please?’

 

‘With pleasure,’ Baden replied, tilting her head smugly. ‘All we have been talking about is a lose confederacy that – let’s be honest here – many of its members will largely ignore. No offence here, but when is the last time any of you truly respected the power of the Holy Roman Empire. Sure, this boy may end up in a similar position. However, there are whispers among the people. The dream of one German state. A united nation. But it would not some weak union always bowing to its members. This new state would be strong and encompass all the German people. This German land would be the first authority the people would look to.’

 

Faces became pale in shock. Even Austria for the moment had his mouth open in disbelief that Baden had proposed such an outrageous theory in public. ‘I do not understand what you mean,’ he said.

 

‘Of course, you don’t!’ Baden replied. ‘How could a stuck-up aristocrat ever understand the power of a people dreaming.’

 

‘You sound like France during his little revolutionary adventure,’ Austria replied coldly. Murmurs started filling the room, but Baden had no regrets about her words. ‘You cannot deny that this is a possibility. If the boy truly grew over night, he may be indicative of a new consciousness among the people.’

 

‘Even if the people have ideas, the monarchs – our leaders may I remind you – will not tolerate it. They care little for ludicrous ideas.’ Austria replied, meanwhile visibly annoyed.

 

Baden remained unimpressed and continued her blasphemous talk. ‘There are more citizens than nobles. If they present their unified demands for liberty, they become a force to be reckoned with. We spent months trying to undo France’s follies and recreate the status quo. But don’t any of you think that we might try to resist the inevitable progress of history. There have always been changes in history that we cannot prevent. Nor is it our task to do so. We serve our people, not ourselves.’

 

Austria now stood up. He did not raise his voice at Baden but was struggling to maintain composure. ‘I cannot believe that you date to speak these words as our gracious rulers for months have been working to maintain order and security. Can you at least show some gratitude?’

 

Baden smirked, clearly satisfied that she managed to annoy Austria. Somehow, annoying a sibling or cousin had become an unproductive yet worthwhile aspiration among the German family.

 

Württemberg asked her sister, ‘Are you saying this child will bring another revolution and we should be fine with that?’

 

Baden shrugged. ‘I am just saying that perhaps this the beginning of a new era. One that will bring new opportunities and sacrifices.’

 

Württemberg’s eyes widened. ‘You don’t think that this child is our end? Do you think it would be better for us if he never appeared?’

 

Although no one had spoken these last words out loud, they had been on the back of everybody’s minds. Ludwig was clearly aware of the events unfolding and crawled closer to Prussia’s chest. The elder looked upon the kid. Ludwig’s eyes filled with tears and his thin lips quivered. His small fist grabbed Prussia’s uniform more firmly. In a room of hostility, Ludwig had chosen Prussia as a source of shelter and comfort. It was a strange emotion. Prussia was moved the younger’s desire for his protection. Rarely had he ever felt this way about anyone.

 

But he did not reject his feeling, as he often did with pesky emotions. He stroked Ludwig’s cheeks, wiping away his tears, and whispered, ‘Let them talk. They cannot harm you.’ With these words Prussia rose to his feet, still holding Ludwig in his arms. ‘No matter your opinion on this matter, none of you will dare to touch the child. He is under my guard and whoever harms him will have to face me.’That line stuck. Prussia’s power and personal skills in combat were well known.

 

‘I take it then you took a liking to the boy,’ Hesse said. ‘How surprising you actually might care for someone else than yourself.’

 

Prussia’s eyes glistened with anger. ‘Ludwig is under protection for he is my brother’. After a moment of silence, the debating ensued again.

 

‘Ludwig? Is that his name?’

 

_‘Brother?’_

 

‘Quiet, please!’ Austria ordered. ‘Or else I will not invite you to my new opera ball.’

 

‘Anything but that’, Prussia ironically said under his breath.

 

Bavaria again took the floor. ‘Prussia, your devotion to this child, Ludwig, is admirable but I am not sure you of all people should be in charge of a child.’ Several attendants snickered. Baden burst out laughing. ‘Therefore,’ Bavaria continued, ‘I believe it would be better to leave the child in the care of Austria for the time being. He has experience in taking care of younger ones, like the Holy Roman Empire or young Veneto. Also, he has the resources to offer the child a decent life until his fate is decided.’ Approving whispers filled the room.

 

_You have to kidding me_ , Prussia thought.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Editing before going to bed... how fun! I hope my English is not too crappy. D:
> 
> Some of my reasoning for this chapter:
> 
> \- on the conflicting feelings of the German states towards Ludwig  
> The German Confederation was aimed to be a rather lose institution. With too much power it could severely impede the freedom of its member states that still remember Napoleon.
> 
> \- on nations being human imaginations  
> This is blatantly derived from Benedict Anderson's concept of 'immagined community'. My personal headcanon is that nations exist because humans believe in them and they change according to shifts in the self-perception of a people. I am not a massive fan of the idea that the nations correspond to strict geographic borders and landmarks. For once, it invokes uncomfortable and controversial concepts like 'blood and soil'. On the other side, a direct link between people and geography does not explain why some nations like Poland do not disappear even though they are erased from maps. But that is just my opinion! ^^'
> 
> \- Baden the rebel  
> Apparently, Baden was one of the more liberal states among the Germans and many of its citizens were interested in Nationalism and popular rule. Austria and Prussia that sought to preserve their monarchy do not approve!
> 
> Veneto is of course our friend North Italy/Veneziano but I thought the name Veneto fit better in that context.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! This is my very first fan fiction. I hope you will enjoy the story. The title is based on the song 'Unter deiner Flagge' by Unheilig, the perfect song for Germany and Prussia in my opinion.
> 
> I apologise for any typos and grammatical mistakes. English is not my first language. ^^'
> 
> Notes:
> 
> Holy Roman Emperor Francis II abdicated on 6th August 1806, effectively ending the already weak Holy Roman Empire. The dissolution was preceded by a crushing military defeat at the Battle of Austerlitz (1805) against the French army lead by Napoleon.
> 
> Schönbrunn is Royal Palace of Austria.


End file.
